Big four networks in US are ‘must keep’ channels for 78% TV viewers

MUMBAI: Despite threats from over-the-top (OTT) services like Netflix, Amazon and the increased use of web video and mobile alternatives, the big four TV network brands are top-of-mind and continue to stay relevant for TV viewers, according to the latest edition of the Must Keep TV Report from Solutions Research Group.

ABC is the number one must keep channel. The seventh edition of the independent tracking survey is based on interviews with 1,400 American consumers aged 12-plus in early April 2014.

The proportion of Americans who would include at least one of the big four networks on their ‘must keep’ list if they had to keep a small bundle was up by three points from a low of 75 per cent last year to 78 per cent this year. The high watermark for this metric was 83 per cent when SRG first started tracking in 2007.

While the networks showed collective brand strength overall, the research found that the millennial generation continue to be less likely to want to include one of the big four in their top channels list—68 per cent did so in 2014, the same level as 2013, although much lower than the peak of 81 per cent in 2007.

Top trends from the 2014 research

§ ABC retains the top ‘must keep TV’ channel title in America for the total audience (aged 12-plus), followed very closely by CBS. NBC beat FOX to land at #3 for the first time since 2008.

§ ESPN is again the top cable brand American TV viewers can’t do without, coming in at #5 overall and as the top cable brand. Discovery, History, HBO, TNT and PBS round out the 2014 Top 10 TV brands.

§ Discovery regained its title as the leading non-sports cable brand in the country after losing it to History last year.

§ FX was the leading momentum brand of the year, up six spots to #14, from #20 for full audience and as well jumping five spots among adults 18–49 from #17 to #12.

§ AMC was up by one spot from last year and an impressive 16 spots since 2012. It was ranked as the number 14 ‘must keep’ brand for adults 18–49 this year, compared to a #30 ranking just two years ago.

§ Top cable brands for Women 25–54 were: Discovery, Disney, Bravo, HBO and the Food Network. HBO made it to the Top 10 for women 25–54 for the first time since 2009 in the tracking.

§ While consumers’ relationship with TV brands continues to be strong, American consumers do not have as many actual TV sets in the house as they once used to. Only 50 per cent had three or more TVs in the home in this year’s research, compared to 56 per cent last year, 61 per cent in 2011 and 65 per cent in 2007, when Must Keep TV was fielded for the first time.

The data also directionally suggests that TV brands that offer scripted dramas are seeing stronger consumer interest, particularly if they have strong archives of past episodes of their series available, or if past seasons are available on Netflix or on VOD for people to catch on and catch up with (not to mention availability via torrents).

Earlier, people found character-intensive drama series more difficult to ‘drop in’ on. They couldn’t follow the story, didn’t know the characters and only had time to keep up with only a few first-run series on a regular basis. The combination of greater availability of archives of show content online, including Netflix, and more comfort with the intimacy and flexibility of small screen internet-enabled devices make immersion easier.